Source Land Vampirism
This article is about Vampirism in the fictional Source Lands Setting. Vampires, or Sanguisuges, are any creatures that primarily, or exclusively feed on the blood of their own species (or very similar species). * See Vampirism for vampirism in other settings. * See Nosgothica for information on the most common vampire type in the Source Lands Setting. Vampirism in the Source Lands Vampires largely transcend the categories of Necromorph, Nocrophage, Undead and Revenant - most of them qualify for several or all of those categories, and as such they have their own category - sanguisuges. Vampires are defined by craving a diet primarily, or exclusively, consisting of blood from their own (or very similar) species Sanguisuges Sanguisuge is the proper term to describe vampires, and there are quite a few of them - some are also necrophages, some are necromorphs, but they all have different traits. Striga Strigas are supposedly created in a number of ways - most commonly when a pregnant woman dies as result of complications within the fetus she is carrying, and no one manages to birth the child who then also dies needlessly within the womb who are then buried together. * The Striga will claw itself from the dead womb of the mother and hunt every new-moon. It doesn't just drink blood - though it doesn't need any other nourishment, it rends and tears flesh, only to throw the dried flesh up later. * The Striga doesn't actually need the blood it eats for anything, but that hasn't stopped any striga before. Blood-Hag The Blood-Hag is a type of undead, and barely qualifies as a vampire at all. The Blood-Hag is similar to other types of undead-witches, in that they are undead creatures that are intelligent, but are devoted to the service of mysterious ancient beings that elude mankind, and use magic - competently. * The Blood-Hag also happens to drink blood, and will die if it doesn't, and this is far the only reason it is categorized as a vampire. * The Blood-Hag can also use blood to cast powerful spells - it is rumored that other vampires can learn this, but only if they devour a Blood-Hag. * Blood-Hags have been known to work together with Vampires, or even to create them. * Blood-Hag can actually control lesser vampires who have not completed the Tempering Ritual. Vampire Dragon Vampire Dragons are rumored to exist. If they do, it is a good thing that Vampires generally only feed on their own kind, and also a good explanation for the rarity of dragons. * The Vampires are the primary believers of the theory of the Vampire Dragon - a Mysterious Champion of the Lord of Shadows that will one day rise up and herald the end of the world of the living, a day when they all will have to bow. * The legends of the Vampire Dragon are incredibly ancient, and some say that it is Garkain himself, and that all the corrupted higher Nosgothica are his lieutenants. Nosgothica The Nosgothica are very different from the remaining sanguisuges described in this article, and are featured in their own article.